Areas of Experience

 

                                  
Construction, Property & Civil Engineering


Military


Management


 
 
Construction, Property & Civil Engineering

 

Ron is a Chartered Surveyor, Chartered Builder (Construction Manager), Chartered Building Engineer and a Corporate Building Surveyor. He was for over 25 years the Managing Director of a Property Development Company specialising in the redevelopment of residential and commercial property.


For over 12 years Ron was also a visiting lecturer at The Nottingham Trent University where he lectured in Construction Technology, Management and Economics at undergraduate level and at Loughborough University where he ran their Project Evaluation and Development module for undergraduate and post graduate students.

During his career Ron has also lectured at Lincoln College in Building and Civil Engineering Studies and was responsible for the development of new programmes and courses for their School of Construction before leaving to take up the position of Director for Gates MacBain Associates Limited, a Private Education and Training Provider and Consultancy specialising in Construction and Civil Engineering.


Ron is the author of "Successful Property Development" the book that was used as the standard text for property development courses at a number of universities and has published numerous magazine articles. In addition he has written a number of distance learning modules for The Nottingham Trent University, and for the British Army and study units for the Construction Learning Gateway of which he was the Director. He has also written many of the Study Units for constructionsite.org.uk the national e-learning and resource website for Higher and Further Education Institutions and was its Technical Expert Author Advisor and Editor. In addition to writing the material he has also acted as tutor for distance learning and online courses.


Having been a member of the Chartered Institute of Building East Midland Regional Committee, Ron also sat on their Strategy and External Relations Committee and was involved with the development of the criteria for Incorporated Engineer status through the Institute of Highway Engineers.

 

 
Construction and Civil Engineering


In the programme of talks for cruises related to construction Ron looks at the history and the development of Construction and Civil Engineering projects and the methods used from ancient to modern time. Subjects covered include:
  • Tunnels – from the digging of caves and the tombs of the ancient Pharaohs to the modern day wonder of the Channel Tunnel.
  • Bridges – looks at the types and methods of creating bridges and some of the world’s most famous.
  • Dams – the reasons, types and methods of damming water and the magnificence of the world’s most famous dams.
  • Canals – their development, construction and the effect that they have had on commerce throughout history.
  • High-rise Buildings – their construction and the quest to reach ever greater heights.
  • Flood Protection – looks at the battle between land and sea and the contribution made by engineers.
  • Construction in the Ancient World - considers Egyptian, Greek and Roman architecture and the methods of construction in the ancient world.
In addition he provides talks on all aspects of Construction Technology and Civil Engineering at all level of academic study.
 

 
Property Development


In his talks on Property Development Ron looks at the processes and considerations in order to ensure the success of a project. It can be from the perspective of an individual hoping to make money from their home or can provide the knowledge needed to assist professional developers. Subjects covered include:
  • The Property Market
  • The main principles of property development
  • Financial considerations
  • The selection process
  • Important considerations
  • Surveying the property
  • Determining what needs to be done
  • Adding value to the property
  • Costing the project
  • Making offers
  • Building Regulations and Planning requirements
  • Getting workmen or learning yourself.
  • Décor and style
  • Planning and carrying out the work
  • Tracking your budget
  • Selling the property

 

 
Military Experience


Ron started his military service the age of 13 as a cadet with 204 Squadron of the Air Training Corps in Lincoln. 

At the age of 17 he joined the Royal Marines where after the completion of basic training was posted to 45 Commando and saw active service in Aden within a fighting Company in the Radfan Mountains and on internal security duties in Crater, Sheik Othman, Little Aden and Steamer Point and included a period of attachment to Naval Security at HMS Sheba.

On return from Aden, he joined 41 Commando as part of the Arctic Warfare Commando protecting NATOs Northern flank, where having completed the snow warfare and parachute course became a member of the Commando’s Reconnaissance (Recce) Troop.

His next tour was on the amphibious assault ship HMS Intrepid as part of the Royal Marine Detachment working with the landing craft and beach party responsible for getting the embarked troops ashore. The ship was also involved with the relief operations in East Pakistan following the 1970 cyclone disaster.

On completion of his Regular service in 1972, he started my own business, until the Falkland’s War when in 1982, the military once again attracted his interest and he was commissioned into 2503 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment where he served as a Flight Commander as part of an airfield defence unit. After five years he transferred to the Territorial Army and joined the Royal Pioneer Corps as Company Training Officer and then as Company 2i/c. On the amalgamation brought about by the Logistic Support Review in 1990 the Royal Pioneer Corps became part of the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC).

During his time with the Royal Logistic Corps he held the positions of Company Commander and Regimental 2i/c before being promoted Lieutenant Colonel and taking over as the Commanding Officer of 168 Pioneer Regiment. It was during this time that the Strategic Defence Review of 1998 resulted in 168 Pioneer Regiment being tasked to form two additional Squadrons which were to be Independent Squadrons within the Specialist Regiment resulting in the formation of the largest unit in the British Army. These squadrons were to be formed in the North East of England, the responsibility for which fell to Ron as Commanding Officer. The successful achievement of this enabled him to finish his time in uniform ‘on a high’ when, due to age, he was required to retire.
Apart from his normal Regimental duties he was Project Officer for the introduction of Distance Learning into RLC Territorial Army Training and the writing of course content material. He was also involved with management and trade training for officers and other ranks and also lectured on the Regular RLC Officer Management Courses and was an assessor on Officer Promotion Courses. In addition, he was involved with the selection of potential recruits and officers and the interviewing and appointment of civilian staff at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, Grantham.

During his time with the military he underwent specialist training in Jungle, Snow and Amphibious Warfare; and attended courses on Parachuting, Signals, Driving, Security, Tactical Questioning, Movement Control - including the Movement Control Staff Officers Course - as well as numerous courses on management and administration.  Thus, gaining experience that he has been able to pass on to future officers and NCO’s.

On completion of his uniform service in 2000 he was to join the Lincolnshire Committee of the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) and maintained his military links and utilised his business links as their Employer Liaison. He was then to become Vice Chair and later the Chairman of the Lincolnshire Committee and Vice Chair of the East Midlands Committee, a position he held for five years. On his retirement as Chairman he remained on the committee as a county member, something that he continues to do. 

In addition he personally sponsors the Endeavor Trophy for the Royal Marine Cadets at Lincoln, something that he has done for a number of years.

During the Covid pandemic he was a volunteer delivering food parcels to veterans on behalf of Age UK Lincoln and then took over running zoom meetings for Veteran’s, something that he continue to do as a volunteer.

Ron has over four decades of experience with all three military services from the cadets, regulars and reserves and continues to publicise the benefits of being with the military from a personal perspective, be that the cadets, reserves or regulars and to promote the skills that each of these can provide in life.


 
In this programme of talks Ron looks at the subjects below both from a general and personal perspective. 
  • Aden and its troubles
  • Reserve Forces
  • Amphibious Warfare 
  • Preparing for Military Service

 


Management

 
Ron Gatepain is a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and has over 30 years of business experience. He has run his own businesses or been a director of companies involved in Property, Construction, Manufacturing, Retail, Services, Training and Entertainment. He has started a number of businesses and is familiar with all aspects of setting up and growing a business and the processes and procedures required in trading.

The co-author of "Management for the Professions" he has lectured in Management at Nottingham Trent and Loughborough Universities and at a number of colleges. He has also run management programmes for industry and private companies and acted as a mentor for Business students at the University of Lincoln. He has lectured on promotion courses for the British Army and on Management Programmes for the Royal Logistic Corps at the British Army School of Logistics.


The subjects that are offered include:
  • Principles of Management
  • Setting up a Business
  • Motivation
  • Leadership and Team Building
  • Project Management
  • Planning and Organising
  • Monitoring and Contolling
  • Communication
  • Delivering a Presentation
  • Economics
  • Financial Management

 


 
 
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